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Ingredients: 4 cups cubed sourdough or Italian bread (3/4-inch cubes) Vegetable cooking spray (may be garlic- or butter-flavored) 2 cups diced tomato 1 cup cubed cucumber 1/4 cup chopped onion 1 can (15 ounces) Great Northern beans or Pinto beans or 1 1/2 cups cooked dry-packaged Great Northern beans or Pinto beans, rinsed, drained Salt and pepper, to taste Basil Dressing (recipe follows) Directions: Generously spray bread cubes with cooking spray and toss; spray again and toss. Arrange bread cubes on jelly roll pan; bake at 375-degrees until toasted, about eight to ten minutes. Set aside. In salad bowl, toss tomato, cucumber, onion and beans with Basil Dressing; season with salt and pepper, add toasted bread cubes and toss again. Serve immediately. Recipe makes four main-dish servings or eight side-dish servings. Basil Dressing 1 cup packed basil leaves 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons water 1/8 teaspoon salt Process all ingredients in food processor or blender until almost smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. Tips: Bread may be prepared one to two days in advance; cool and store in airtight container at room temperature. Basil Dressing can be made one to two days in advance; refrigerate, covered. Any prepared basil or Italian dressing can be substituted. Note: Any canned or dry-packaged bean variety can be easily substituted for another. Recipe makes about 1/2 cup. Nutrition information per serving (with 1/8-cup dressing): Calories 296 Fat: 9g Carbohydrate: 45g Folate: 118mcg Sodium: 494mg Protein: 12g Dietary Fiber: 1g Cholesterol: 0mg |